5 Simple Ways 100 Hours and 12 Cameras Can Keep Small Problems Small

A lot can happen in about 100 hours. Think about what you’ve been up to for the last 100 hours. It’s about a week’s worth of productive time. What if you’d had video to record it all? What valuable new lessons would you learn? What would you see in those video clips that you may have missed during your work week?

Here at Lytx, 100 hours is taking on new significance with our latest product, the Lytx Video Services program. It offers about 100 hoursof video-on-demand* and 12 auxiliary cameras that can give fleets a 360-degree view of activity surrounding their vehicles.

And the beauty of it all? The Lytx Video Services program can capture video when your drivers are driving — and when they’re not. “With the Lytx Video Services program, fleet safety managers can align the program any way they want,” said Alex Castillo, Lytx commercial leader for the small segment. “It allows clients to capture data they wouldn’t otherwise have. It can capture video when drivers are working at a jobsite, parking, or fueling up.”

We spoke with the commercial leaders at Lytx about the simple, unexpected ways in which about 100 hours of video and 12 additional cameras can help fleets prevent small problems from blowing up into something much bigger. Here’s what they had to say about how these features can broaden the horizons of fleets everywhere and keep small problems just that — small.

They can help with supervision of loading and unloading to ensure that cargo is properly secured. “This is critical, especially in the flatbed segment of the trucking industry,” said Rob Abbott, commercial leader for Enterprise Trucking at Lytx. When loads are not strapped, chained, and tarped properly, they can fall off en route, Abbott explained. “Ensuring that cargo is secured properly is not only important to ensure the load isn’t lost, but also to verify that the driver is using proper lifting procedures to prevent injuries and workers’ compensation claims. Video can be used to coach proper loading techniques, too.”

Supervision of proper cargo transport is especially important with hazmat and regulated commodities, such as fuel, Abbott said. “There are very strict guidelines for loading and unloading hazardous materials,” he said. “You want to know your drivers are following fleet safety guidelines and wearing the necessary protective gear.”

One hundred hours of video can validate or protect drivers against aggressive driving complaints. “When drivers are on the road, they represent your brand,” said Jim Rice, vice president, commercial leader, Mid-Market. “So when another driver calls to complain about your driver’s on-the-road behavior, the Lytx Video Services program can shield and protect your company’s reputation. It’s as simple as pulling a video clip from the day and time mentioned and seeing for yourself what happened.”

Just as beneficial, fleets can gather video clips of low G-force minor collisions that may not have been triggered by the DriveCam event recorder, Rice added. “Was the driver stopped when hit from behind? Were they firmly in their own lane when they were sideswiped? With the Lytx Video Services program, we can learn the answers to these questions.”

One hundred hours of video-on-demand can help unveil the cause of mystery damage to the company vehicle — even if the incident took place days earlier, said Damian Penney, vice president, Enterprise, at Lytx. If a driver returns to the truck terminal and discovers damage to the trailer but doesn’t know the cause of it, scanning the DVR could reveal a prior missed event or even vandalism.

Why 12 cameras? One of them could reveal if property was damaged before or after a shipment was delivered. “For instance, auto haulers have to deliver vehicles free from scrapes and scratches, often during the night when no one is around to verify the vehicles’ condition,” Abbott said. “By placing cameras in strategic locations, specialized haulers can protect themselves from damage claims or learn where in their journey damage occurred.”

The same is true in the moving and storage industry, Abbott noted. “Imagine being several states away watching movers load your belongings — and actually being able to check in on them on their way to their new home.”

Having video outside the vehicle can be a deterrent to thieves and vandals. “It protects the company and it protects the drivers working with high-valued goods,” said Castillo. “Having access to about 100 hours of video can provide a lot of peace of mind. It shows fleet safety managers that their drivers and assets are secure, giving them the ability to monitor not only their drivers’ whereabouts but also their safety.”

Learn more about how the Lytx Video Services and DriveCam programs can strengthen fleet safety at your company.